Milk box



Oct. 25, 1938. .1. A. HOPWOOD MILK BOX Filed Nov. 21, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENT OR. Jo/y/r 4. Han 000 BY w fziir Oct. 25, 1938.J, HOPWOQD 2,134,251

MILK BOX Filed Nov. 21, '1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

J0/7/7 Hopwaod By {7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES MILK BOX John A. HopwoOd, GreatNeck, N. Y. Application November 21, 1935, Serial No. 50,880

14 Claims.

This invention relates to milk boxes and more particularly those used inconnection with the retail delivery of bottled milk. These boxes areprovided with compartments, usually twelve in number, to individuallyhold a dozen bottles in each box. It is the practice to set the bottlesupright in the compartments of the box and pack ice about the necks ofthe bottles so as to keep the milk at a desired temperature. 7

Boxes of this kind present numerous problems in connection with theirmanufacture, maintenance and use. For example, milk boxes are generallymade of wood or at least have wooden side walls, usually made bysuperimposing slats above one another, so as to obtain a strongconstruction and at the same time minimize weight and provide forventilation. The slat construction is well adapted for these purposes.With a slat box, however, the corners of the box must be made quitestrong as the slat wall does not have the inherent rigidity of a solidwall and, unless these corners are able to stand considerable strain,the ends of the slats at the corners are apt to break away. For thesereasons most milk boxes now made are provided with corner irons whichcover the joinery at the corners of the box and reinforce the same. Thecorner irons effectually support the ends of the slats in cooperativerelation with one another, but my experience has shown that there is amarked tendency on the part of these corner irons to catch in adjacentboxes when they are moved in close relation to one another or aresubjected to rough usage, so that it is not uncommon to find the cornerirons sufllciently loose at the sides of the box that they may bereadily caught in protuberances in the path of the box and bent awayfrom the box to form projections which may produce serious damage toconveyors and other transporting apparatus.

One of the objects of this invention is to so form the corner iron and.apply it to the box in such manner that it will hug the sides of the boxtightly and will not be apt to be caught and bent out of shape. I havediscovered that this may be accomplished by forming the corner irons ofa section wherein, prior to application, they are of an angle less thandegrees. Being of metal they have pronounced inherent resiliency andthis fact makes it possible, when the angles are so formed, to force theangle iron under resilient stress into proper position at a corner ofthe box and by thereafter anchoring the ends of the corner iron at thetop and bottom of the box, the whole corner iron will be held under acondition of stress wherein its inherent resiliency will keep it tightlyin position and cause it to hug the walls of the box tightly. Inaddition to this I may also apply positive pressure along the margins ofthe corner irons afterattachment, soas to force them under greatpressure somewhat into the wood, so that it is practically impossible inthe ordinary use of a box to catch the edges of these angle irons.

My experience with angle irons applied in the manner described is thatthey practically eliminate the objection to which I have referred.

The corner caps, which cover the upper and lower edges of the box at thecorners and which atthe bottom of the box may form part of the runners,are open to similar objections in prior constructions and may bemanipulated, in accordance with this invention, in a like manner, thatis to say, they may be formed in such a Way that they are sprung intoplace under stress which remains in these parts and causes them totightly and resiliently grip the walls of the'bo-x, pressure beingapplied to the margins of these caps in it is so desired.

Another object of the present invention is to providefor a moreefiicient distribution of the ice which, in practice, is adapted to bepacked around the bottles. It is of course apparent that the greater thesurface contact of the bottle with the ice, the greater will be thecooling effect. In practice, however, the ice is simply dumped into thetop of the box, after the bottles have been set into the box, and thedistribution of the ice is frequently not conducive to the best results.This is particularly true in boxes where compartments are formed bywooden spacers or partition members and where the partition members. aresufliciently deep to support the bottle for the full height of itssupport. Withsuch a constructionv much of the ice may enter into thespace between two adjacent partition membersor between one partitionmember and one wall of the box leaving much less ice between the otherpartition members and the walls of the box.

I find. that this may be largely remedied by providing the partitionmembers with relatively large openings therein, so that, when the box ismoved or vibrated as in handling, the ice .will distribute itselfthrough these holes to a considerable extent and give a than wouldotherwise be the case. The present invention "includes the use of theseopenings. The openings have the further advantagein that they decreasethe weight of the 'box'without appreciably weakening. the partitions.

Furthermore in some boxes ofthi's'kind, the

much better distribution bottom slats and top slats of the walls of thebox have been made thicker to give the strength where it is most needed,but some difliculty has been experienced with this construction as thereis a tendency of the bottles to catch against the projecting edges ofthese slats. Consequently, in the box of the presentinvention, thesethickened slats are beveled at their edgesadjacent to the inner slatsand into conformity therewith, as hereinafter more fully described, butthe beveling is so carried out as to not weaken-the slats at their endswhere maximum cross section and strength is required.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one,

practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction thereinshown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining thelimits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a section perspective view of one end of a box embodying thepresent invention.

Figure 21s a side elevation of one of the partition members. of the boxof Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmental perspective showing adjacent ends of two bottomslats at one corner of the box.

Figure 4 is a fragmental perspective of one exterior corner of the boxshowing certainparts of the hardware removed in the interest ofclearness.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken through one corner of the box inthe plane of the line 55 of Figure 4 showing in a diagrammatic way themanner of applying the corner irons.

Figure 6 is a vertical section through one ofthe upper slats andcorresponding corner cap showing how the corner cap is applied understress.

The box of the present invention comprises four walls" arranged inrectangular relation to form a rectangular frame. The side walls embodysuperimposed slats I, while the end walls are made up of superimposedslats 2. The slats of the several walls areproperly joined at their endsto form the corners of the box which are maintained in assembledrelation by means of corner irons 3, corner caps 4 and combined .cornercaps and runners 5.

Tie rods 6 extend through the corner caps, corner irons, runners andthrough the slats to secure the slats to one another and to the hardwareand thus hold the parts in assembled relation. The corner irons are allmade the same way and are shown best in Figures 4 and 5. Each embodies astrip of sheet metal bent to form an angle adapted to extend verticallyalong the corner of the box and at the top and bottom of each of'thesecorner irons are formed tongues I which overlap the upper and loweredges of the top and bottom slats, respectively, and are perforated asshown at 8 for the passage of the tie rods 6. The tongues 1 at the topof each corner iron are adapted to be covered and concealed by cornercaps 4, while the corresponding tongues at the bottom of each corneriron are adapted to be covered and concealed by runners l0, so shaped asto form corner irons 5 at their opposite ends. Both the runners l0 andthe corner caps 4 are also perforated for the passage of the tie rods 6,as'will be apparent from Figure 4. v V V I One important feature of thisinvention, as

hereinbefore stated, consists in the manner of associating the corneriron 3 with the corner of the box. I have graphically illustrated inFigure 5 how this is accomplished. For example, in dotted lines in thisfigure, I have shown a corner angle 3 bent so that its lateral halvesare at an angle appreciably less than degrees and the bend H is made ona relatively large radius. The material used is of resilient characterand by forming the angle in this way, the two arms or leaves l2 form ineffect spring arms joined to or integral with one another through acurve of large radius. This section thus has all the essentialprerequisites of a double leaf spring and it is'so employed in applyingthe corner iron to the box. In the course of manufacture, these cornerirons are formed with acute angular relation and they are subsequentlyapplied as indicated by the arrow l3 in Figure 5 by pressing them in thedirection of this arrow into cooperative relation with the corners ofthe box. The pressure applied during this operation is suflicient toforce them into substantial conformation with the corner of the box.During this operation, the corner irons will be flexed, so as tosomewhat increase the angle between the arms l2, so that this anglewillrapproach 90 degrees, but there will be a tendency of the edges ofthe corner iron to dig into the walls of the box, as indicated in Figure5, because of the pressure applied thereto and the tension of thesecorner irons.

After the corner irons have been forced into place, they are anchored bythe rods 6 which keep them in position under tension. They remain undertension throughout the life of the box and produce a tight constructionwherein the edges of the corner irons hug the outer surfaces of thewalls of the box, so that nothing can catch between them. Furthermore,even though the tie rods 6 loosen up slightly, therewill be no loosenessin the corner irons and consequently no noise due to rattling orvibration, as is now generally the case in corner irons of conventionalconstruction.

I have shown this acute angular corner iron arrangement in a corner ironprovided at its top and bottom with overlapping tongues I, but I do notlimit the invention in this connection, as the upper and lower ends ofthe corner irons may be formed otherwise than as shown. In fact it ispossible, when the angle irons are applied under pressure and placedunder stress, as described, to apply the corner caps and runnersdirectly over the upper and lower ends of corner irons cut ofi flushwith the upper and lower edges of the box and when the corner caps andrunners are secured to the box, their outer flanges l4 and I6, presentlydescribed, will serve to hold the corner irons in place under tensionWithout other means of attachment for the latter. The present invention,therefore, is not to be understood as limited to the corner iron whichhas the overlapping tongues at its opposite ends as shown for thepurpose of illustration. 7

In applying the corner caps 4 and the runners 10, the same generalprinciple is availed of. These corner caps and runners are of channeledcross section and the channels are made so as to slightly converge, asshown in dotted lines in Figure 6, so that, when the corner caps and therunners are applied to the box, they are. forced into place underconsiderable pressure which flexes the flanges of the channel sectionand p aces them undensufficient resilienttension to tightly grip thewalls of the box, as will be clearly apparent from Figure 6. The outerflange M of each corner cap, as well as the outer flange l of eachrunner ismade continuous and seamless and formedon a large radius at.the corners l6, so as to conform with the .radius of the bend in thecorner irons and impart to the boxround corners throughout.

It may be desirable insomecases, after application of .the corner irons,corner capsand runners, to subject the marginal edges thereof directlyadjacent the wooden slats with which they cooperate, to considerablepressure to actually force the free edges of these metal parts to embedthemselves to greater extent into the wooden slats and give'a flushexterior, but ordinarily I do not feel that this is necessary, althoughit is within the present invention to do so. As shown best in Figures 1and 3, the top and bottom slats of the box are made thicker than theintermediate slats andto keep the bottles from catching and tofacilitate the insertioninto and removalfrom the box, the interiorbottom edges of the top slats are beveled, as shown at H, and the innertop edges of the bottom slats are similarly beveled at |8. It should benoted, however, that these bevels terminate short of the ends of theslats, as best shown in Figure 3, so as to leave the slats of fullthickness at their extremities for maximum strength in the joint at thecorners of the box.

The bottom side slats are provided with bottle receiving and-supporting.recesses 20,.and partitions 2| are similarly recessed and extendlongiftudinally of the box and divide the interior thereof intocompartments. Upper and lower stay rods serve to strengthen andsupportthe partitions 2 l and therefore assist in forming, the interiorof the box into pockets.

' It is to be noted that in the box shown the partitionsZI extend forthe full height of the support which it is desired to impart to thebottles,

so that these partitions actually insulate the lower intermediateportions of the box from one another. If imperforate there will be nocommunication between these portions of the box at the level between theupper andlower edges of the partitions. This is undesirable as itinterferes with proper ice distribution. -Consequently I form in thepartitions openings 23. These openings are so disposed that they willpass through the thickest parts of the partitions and between adjacentbottles, so that ice fallingdown between adjacent bottles can passthrough the partition into the transversely adjacent compartment andthus make it possible to get proper ice distribution. The openings 23are preferably made as large as can conveniently be the case and whilethey serve the purpose described and appreciably lessen the weight ofthe partitions, they do not decrease their strength. Figure 2 shows oneof the partitions in elevation and from this view the preferreddisposition of the openings can be more clearly seen.

If desired I may bevel or countersink the opposite ends of each opening23, as indicated in dotted lines at 24 in Figure 2, so as to let the icepass more freely and to lighten the weight of the partitions. A furtheradvantage of the openings 23 is that they permit the partitions to dryout more quickly after wetting.

The procedure of forming a corner iron of less than 90 degrees, and thesubsequent forcing or stressing of this corner iron into substantialconformity with the corner of a box and the anchoring of the corner ironto the box, while in the inventionin its preferred, practical form. I

am aware,however, that certaimfeatureswhich I have described may be usedto advantage in milk crates withoutnecessarily employing allthe featuresreferred to. Consequently,,the present invention isto be understood asnot .limited to the specific showing, but is to be construed as fullycommensurate with the appended claims.

, Having thus fully described the invention, what I claimas new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:. p I

1. A milk box provided at each of its four corners with an uprightcorner iron. of an unstressed angular cross section lessthan a rightangle, and means for anchoring each corner iron to one corner of the boxwith'the angular cross section of such corner iron stressed toapproximately a right angle for the purpose of causing the lateral free.edges of the corner irons to hug the'walls of the box tightly. a u

2. A milk box providedat each of its four corners with an upright corneriron of an un-' stressed angular crosssection less than a right angle,and means for' anchoring'the upper and lower ends of each corner iron toone corner. of the box with the angular cross section .of such corneriron stressed to approximately. a right angle for the purpose of causingthe lateral free edges of the corner irons to hug the. walls of the boxtightly.

3. A milk box provided at each .of its exterior corners. with a corneriron having a rounded corner integrally joining the two lateral halvesof the corner iron and which lateral halves are arranged, when .freefrom stress, at an angle less than 90 degrees, means for securing eachcorner iron to one corner of the box with the lateral halves of suchcorner iron stressed into substantial conformity with the corner of thebox, and corner caps covering the upper. and lower edges of the boxateach corner, each corner cap having a flange overlying the exterior ofthe box at its corner and rounded to'conform with the corner lI'OI'l.

4. A milk box provided at each of its exterior corners witha corner ironhaving a rounded corner integrally joining the two lateral halves of thecorner iron and which lateral halves are arranged, when free fromstress, at an angle less than 90 degrees, each corner iron being securedto one corner of the box with the lateral halves of such corner ironstressed into substantial conformity with the corner of the .box, andcorner capscovering the upper and lower edges of the box at-each corner,each corner cap. having a flange overlying the exterior of the bo-xatits corner and rounded to conform with the corner iron, and tie rodsextending longitudinally through the walls of the box and through thecorner caps to bind said corner caps and corner irons to the walls ofthe box and hold the box in assembled relation,

5. A milk box provided at each of its upper corners with a corner cap,each corner cap being provided at its inner and. outer edges withflanges converging toward their free edges when free from stress andsaid caps being forced into engagement with the walls of the box toembrace saidwalls under stress, and means for securing the corner capsin position.

6. A milk box comprising a plurality ofsuperimposed courses of slats,the top and bottom slats being thicker than the intermediate slats andall of the slats being arranged flush at'their outer surfaces, thebottom inner edges of .the

top thicker slats and the upper inner. edgesof the bottom'thicker slatsbeing beveled oil to the thickness of the intermediate slats.

'L'A milk box provided with partitions 'extending across the interior ofthe box to divide saidinterior into a plurality of compartments, each ofsaid partitions being provided at its opposite sides with recessesextending for the greater portion of the height of said partitions andprovided at their bottoms with seats for individual bottles, said seatsbeing spaced longitudinally of the partitions, and said partitions beingprovided, in the spaces between successive seats, with openings passingthrough the partitions and through which ice introduced at one side ofany particular partition may pass to the other side of such partition. rr

8. A milk box provided with partitions extending across the interior ofthe box to divide it into a plurality of compartments, each of saidpartitions being provided at its opposite sides with upright recessesterminating at their bottoms in seats for individual bottles, saidrecesses being spaced longitudinally of the partitions to leave thoselongitudinal intermediate portions of the partitions between recesses ofsubstantially uniform thickness throughout the height of the re cesses,and openings cut through said intermediate portions and throughwhichice, introduced at one side of any partition, may pass to the otherside of such partition.

9. A milk box provided with partitions extending across the interior ofthe boxto divide it into a plurality of compartments, each of saidpartitions being provided at its opposite sides with upright recessesterminating at their bottoms in seats for individual bottles, saidrecesses being spaced longitudinally of the partitions to leave thoselongitudinal intermediate portions of the partitions between recesses ofsubstantially uniform thickness throughout the height of the recesses,and openings cut through said intermediate portions and through whichice, introduced at one side of any partition, may pass to the other sideof such partition, the opposite ends of said openings being countersunkto facilitate the passage of ice therethrough.

10. A milk box provided with partitions extending across the interior ofthe box to divide it into a plurality of compartments, each of saidpartitions being provided at its opposite sides with upright recessesterminating at their hottoms in seats for individual bottles, saidrecesses being spaced longitudinally of the partitions to leave thoselongitudinal intermediate portions of the partitions between recesses ofsubstantially uniform thickness-throughout the height of the recesses,and openings 'cutthrough said intermediate portions and through whichice, introduced at..one' side of any partition, may pass to theotheriside of such partition, the opposite ends of said openings beingcountersunk to facilitate the passage of ice therethrough.

11. A milk box provided at eachof its four corners .with an uprightcorner iron of angular section, the lateral halves of which, when freefrom stress, are at an angle less than a right angle, the upper andlower'ends of said corner irons being extended to overlie the upper and loweredges of the box, and means passing through said extensions of thecorner irons for anchoring the corner irons to the box with the'lateralhalves of each corner iron stressedv into substantially right angularrelation to one another, whereby the free edges of each corner iron areresiliently maintained in firm engagement with the underlying walls ofthe box.

12. A milk box provided at each of its four corners with an "uprightcorner iron of angular section, the lateral halves of which, when freefrom stress, are at an angle less than a right angle, and the upper andlower ends of which corner irons are extended to overlie the upper andloweredges of the box, and tie rods extending vertically throughthe-walls of the box and through the extensions of the corner irons tosecure said corner ironsto thebox with the lateral halves of each corneriron stressed into substantial conformity with the corresponding cornorof the box.. v

13. A rectangular milk box provided at each of its four corners with aresilient upright corner iron enclosing the corresponding corner of theboxand having,'when in unstressed condition, a ire-entrant angle lessthan a right angle, each of said cornerirons being secured in placeabout one cornerof the box under such stressed condition as tohorizontally increase said re-entrant angle and. cause the free edges ofthe corner iron to engage the box walls under resilient stress, and

each of said corner-irons having extensions overlying the upper andlower edges of the box, and tie rods passing vertically through thewalls of the box and through the extensions of the corner irons tosecure-the corner irons in place in said stressed condition."

14. A rectangular milk box provided at each of its four corners with aresilient upright corner iron enclosing the corresponding corner of thebox and having, when in unstressed condition, a re-entrant angle lessthan a right angle, each of said corner irons being secured in placeabout one corner of the box under such stressed condition as tohorizontally increase said re-entrant angle and cause the free edges ofthe corner iron to engage the box walls under resilient stress, andmeans for securing said corner irons in place on the box in saidstressed condition. 3

' a JOHN A. HOPWOOD.

